Israeli Ministers Demand Security Cabinet Vote to Halt Gaza Deal Amid Concerns

Following Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's meeting with Nikolay Mladenov, UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, where Netanyahu requested a 14-day halt to strikes and targeted killings in Gaza to finalize a ceasefire framework, the debate has shifted to Israel's Security Cabinet. Ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Orit Strook sent a letter to Netanyahu demanding the cabinet convene and vote to block the current Gaza arrangement. They argue that the plan being promoted differs from what was presented to ministers last week and warn it effectively rewards Hamas terrorists by allowing a Palestinian authority to govern Gaza and retain weapons, undermining Israel's war objectives.

Some cabinet ministers told Channel 12 that Israel has moved from full disarmament demands to gradual withdrawals tied to Hamas disarmament steps, which they consider a false disarmament since weapons would remain under Palestinian control. They accuse Netanyahu of avoiding rejecting the deal to preserve US President Joe Biden's dignity, despite understanding the plan distances Israel from its goal of fully disarming Hamas before any withdrawal.

Meanwhile, i24 News reported that IDF assessments attribute Hamas's willingness to move toward the second phase of the deal to two main factors: Israel shifting its "red lines," which unsettled Hamas, and Hamas's recognition that the Iranian front is not advancing, combined with fears that IDF operations might return to Gaza. Intelligence officers emphasize that Hamas does not intend to relinquish control of Gaza and will continue to operate behind the scenes.